Near Touch

Chapter 25: Sunset Promises

For Amy, the next forty-eight hours were purgatory. But now, sitting in a rusty fire tower overlooking the vermillion waters of Lake Trent, Caleb faced an eternity of it.

Jude Presley was arrested mere twenty-four hours after Caleb's body was found buried deep next to a ravine that the rain had stripped clean. One of the search and rescue volunteers had fallen in, leading to the accidental discovery. An anonymous tip had alerted Sheriff Burwell to his hiding place inside the Presley home. The ash mallet discovered at the scene matched the autopsy report's description of the murder weapon. Jude had tried to dissolve it in bleach.

Twelve hours of intense interrogation later, Jude confessed. Three members of the nefarious drug cartel Rojos Guerra had been tasked to pressure Caleb into leading the supply of obscene quantities of narcotics – predominantly, Anaxan – to the small-town clusters of northern Georgia. Violence ensued for an unknown reason which resulted in the death of Andrew Kim (Fok Tong) and Dimitri Dane. Caleb Dawson suffered a gunshot wound to his lower left abdomen and a stab wound to his right thigh.

But the fatal blow had come from a mallet that Jude Presley took to his head. It was later revealed in a roadside bar by the coroner that if help had arrived in time, Caleb would have survived.

Sirencester was abuzz with the wicked simplicity of Jude's plan. Reporting to his superiors at the cartel that Caleb had absconded after killing Fok Tong and Dimitri, Jude lay low at different safehouses over the next few days. He would wait till the disappearance of his victim would be forgotten by the town.

The police unearthed Fok Tong and Dimitri's bodies from a caved-in basement of the ruined colonial church near Bateman Hill. Jude, aided by his employers, had found a quick and explosive fix to eradicate any evidence on-site.

Another six hours passed and Caleb's grief-stricken, broken family began the preparations for his funeral. Lindsey and Emma Dawson thought that the boy's reputation would not merit a huge attendance. However, most of Sirencester chose to pardon the unseemly bits of Caleb's character and instead decided to honor the handsome, enterprising young man that he was.

A caring brother and a loving son.

Robin, dressed in a sharp black suit and necktie, held Amy and Gemma. Natasha stood alone, a dark mourning veil shielding her visage from the judgmental eyes of the masses. Stefan, Ashton, Bobby, Jason, and the rest of the football team appeared as though in a defensive formation, awaiting orders from their captain.

To everyone's surprise, Cecile was there with her family too. Years would go by before she would admit to her brother's physical abuse that ruined most of her youth.

The heavens wept as Caleb was lowered into the ground. Amy broke down at the sight.

Caleb later told her that it was surreal seeing his own funeral. He didn't think so many people would care.

The whole affair was wrapped up in three hours and the debilitated Dawson porch was filled with casseroles, lasagnas, soups, and stews. Lindsey, in a last-ditch effort, lit a bonfire in the backyard and burned it all. None of the gods she knew heeded her offerings but the neighborhood smelled like cheese and bacon till dawn.

"Shame though," Caleb said, shading his eyes from the glare of the setting sun. "Sympathy casseroles are my favorite."

Caleb had been a picture of stoicism throughout the ordeal, cracking inappropriate jokes and offering salacious gossip at inopportune times – often at the expense of his mourners. Amy had suggested getting some fresh air after two hours of chatter from the spectre and brought him to her favorite spot in town.